Of all the shelves, living room shelving ideas are some of our favorites. Unlike a kitchen, bathroom, or even a bedroom, living room shelves don’t need to strike that balance of form and function, nor do you need them to store crockery or toiletries, they can be purely aesthetic.
“Living room shelves can be a great way to display your valuables and create an eye-catching focal point.” says designer Susie Atkinson. You can display them with a mixture of oversized sculptures with smaller objects such as vases and prints; Shelves filled with interesting crafts provide an opportunity to add color and texture to a room, and it’s also interesting to mix contemporary pieces with vintage or antique finds.
While coordinating the perfect shelving is more complicated than it sounds, you want to create displays that feel effortless and intimate but aren’t overly crowded or overly coordinated. So we asked the experts for their shelving ideas to get your shelving right no matter what your style or what you want to display…
1. Consider what you want from the living room shelves
(Image credit: James Merrill)
As with any addition to your home, the first idea should be the practicalities. If you are adding new shelves to your living room, first think about how you want to use them, what will you display? This can dictate the size, shape, style and location of your shelf.
“I am always careful when it comes to storage, of what it will be used for; Uncoordinated and dusty shelves look bad, so the first thing to consider is what you want to display on your shelves and plan accordingly. says designer Benji Lewis.
“Books are something customers often say they like to display on their shelves, so I try to plan the size of these before creating the shelves; a line of small paperback books stacked on a shelf for taller books looks bad. Likewise, if you have a collection of glass you would like to Show it, measure each piece and plan where it will sit, then you can show things off to the best of their ability.
So an obvious place to start the idea (even if it’s vague) in terms of what you want to display and take it from there.
2. Display pieces that reflect your style and add character to the room
(Image credit: James Merrill)
So what are the best things to display on living room shelves? Well, of course this will come down to personal style, but we advise making sure that what goes on the shelves truly reflects your life and is a joy to look at – full of memories and pieces that really mean something.
“When it comes to display art, you have to fine-tune the look before you start so that it’s designed randomly, but not just a whole bunch of elements you put into place.” Emma Deterding, founder and creative director of Kelling Designs explains. You want to have a nice, balanced look so always plan and experiment, and if you feel like you have one thing too much, you are probably right and should remove something. Always use uneven numbers and group things into three or five – odd numbers help add balance and are much easier on the eye.
Think of finer pottery, vases, and ornaments, as well as personal items such as photos, prints, and art. The shelves should be filled with items that evoke the memories you cherish. Make sure to use different sized objects and decorations across the shelves so you have movement – grouping a larger item with a medium and small item will not only keep the assembly going, but will create a flow for your eyes to travel with.
Books are another item that should always be included in your shelves as well, after all, books make a home a home. The different colors, textures, and prints on the covers will also add eye-catching details – just be sure to group them by color to create an easy-on-eye rainbow effect.
“Remember that plants and greenery will add life to your shelves, so be sure to include them to give the feel of the outdoors and help root the space.”
3. Choose built-in shelves to maximize space
(Image credit: James Merrill)
If you’re dealing with an awkward space or small living room, or just want a more detailed look when it comes to your shelving, choosing a built-in option will make the most of the space, adding plenty of living room storage as well.
When it comes to living room design, storage is one of the most important factors to consider, in order to keep the living room organized and a place to relax and spend time with your loved ones. Built-in shelving joinery is ideal for making the best use of oddly shaped rooms, alcoves, and voids as it not only uses the space to its best potential but also gives you plenty of storage space for everyday items, such as as well as decorative items as well. Emma Deterding advises.
From a style perspective, I always recommend choosing a beautiful color for your joinery that complements your interior design scheme and using the velvet leather on the back to add depth and interest. Be sure to include LED lighting to allow you to highlight key accessories and personal mementos as well, while adding a warm glow to the room.
4. Give your shelves depth with patterned wallpaper
(Image credit: James Merrill)
This gorgeous blue living room makes a true case of animal print, and see how brighter wallpaper really gives off a deep teal shelving unit. Plus, they add depth and you don’t have to worry about stuffing your shelves with stuff to make them feel special because a bold backdrop really adds all the personality and décor you need.
Textured and textured backdrops are a great backdrop for open shelving, they add extra layer and depth to a space. says Kate French, Creative Director of Dado. The most successful shows are usually curated from collections of precious finds and artifacts, collected over time so they have sentimental value. Give each item some breathing room, so you can appreciate its shape and make sure the shelves have a coordinated, thoughtful feel.
5. Make the living room double shelves
(Photo credit: Zeke Ruelas)
In the past few years, we’ve really expanded the meaning of “home office,” working from sofas, beds, kitchen tables, you name it. However, as working from home becomes more of a permanent setup, it’s worth creating somewhere in your home to dedicate to working, even if you don’t have the space for an entire room.
These living room shelves designed by Dee Murphy of Murphy Deesign for her home include office space, too. “The built-in bookshelf sits in a place where one large wall used to be empty, with absolutely no function.” De explains. As a designer working from home, I needed to create a workspace, a storage area for art supplies for my kids, and a drop-off area for all my beautiful books and accessories! Curved details elevate the design and make it appear as if the piece has always been there.
You can also use clever alcove shelving ideas to create something similar on a smaller scale, just wall-mounted shelves or a wall-mounted desk, slide under a chair, and instantly you have a little desk space to call your own.
6. Play by the scale
(Image credit: Anna Stathaki)
The best way to create eye-catching shelves is to display items that really vary in height and size. You want to avoid any obvious lines that are easy on the eyes – mix and match sizes to avoid feeling too clean and organized.
You can elevate living room shelves in a nanosecond by always adding a few larger things. It’s very easy to fall into the trap of adding a lot of small decorative pieces, but this tends to read as quite messy, so in short, think big like a big vase with plants, carving, and a large mirror, then decorate it with small pieces. Designer Abigail Ahern suggests.
Sabrina Albanese says, “Take the time to collect and display things you like, you want to make sure things aren’t exactly the same or identical, you want to feel some randomness, so that the eye moves from one place to another.”
7. Shelves in contrast to the walls
(Image credit: James Merrill)
Make your living room shelves a focal point in the room by painting them a contrasting color for the walls. We love the mix of dark pink and navy blue used here, they balance each other out really well. All in all, dark colors make a great background for presentation as the colors really pop, much more than a neutral background.
Take home advice: We couldn’t get a bit more of the shelving ideas without mentioning the three very important rule. Notice how the majority of the pieces in these living room shelves are grouped into odd numbers – it’s an old design trick, but the three-approach rule works as the brain takes longer to register the odd numbers, so you spend more time focusing on the screen.
8. Create a balanced color scheme
(Image credit: James Merrill)
When decorating the shelves, consider the overall living room color scheme. You might want to use your shades more boldly, as the shelves are naturally a focal point in the room, but as Sabrina Albanese suggests, “You also want to create balance with your color scheme, by repeating pops of color throughout the shelves. For example, if I were placing colorful abstract art on one shelf, I would pick up a color from that artwork and place another item of similar color on the other shelf so that the eye would naturally move from one item to the next.
9. Height alert by adding shelves above eye level
(Image credit: Anna Stathaki)
Shelves don’t always have to be at eye level, if you want to accentuate high ceilings or make a room seem higher, try hanging shelves at height. This works especially well in alcoves when you want to free up space for an enclosed closet or interior storage.
In the event that you add shelves a little higher, we recommend incorporating them into the walls by painting them in the same color. You don’t want to add too much volume near the ceiling in darker or contrasting shades as they can have the opposite effect and make the room seem cramped. And incorporate plenty of negative spaces, so as not to add too much visual clutter.
10. Choose freestanding shelves
(Image credit: James Merrill)
We’ve covered a lot of floating and built-in options here, but freestanding shelves can add an instant storage solution and décor. And they are the best option if you are renting as well. In terms of design, this will be determined by personal style, but we advise choosing the right size unit for your space – too big and it will fill the room, too small will shrink the room. So decide right away and make your own measurements.
Also consider a design that fits in some closed storage as well so you have room to hide clutter as well as display items.
What is the best place to put living room shelves?
The best place to place the living room shelves will be decided based on the shape and size of your room. The main thing is that wherever the shelves will be, it will not prevent you from easily moving around the space and not block out a lot of light. If you have cavities, these are prime places to add shelves, or any awkward corners that fit into built-in designs.
How do you design living room shelves?
Our biggest living room shelving design tip is difference. The contrast in heights, shapes, sizes and colors will create screens with true depth. And using this old hack of grouping into odd numbers, this will always create more interest than symmetry.
Layering is also a good way to add that depth, interest, and intrigue, start with a background of large pieces like prints and add small decor in the foreground. Basically, you just have to experiment with your pieces, and fiddle with your shelves until you are satisfied with the results.